Centrifuge



Jan. 13, 1953 G. x.. MGCARGAR CENTRIFUGE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 20, 1947 OOOOOOOQOO OOOOOCDOO |OOOO0OOD OO `AVGQOOOOO 000000000000 000000.000000 000000000000 'mum gmllllmw lll rlllllllllllllIllll llllllllllllllllll llllll l lllllllll I I NVEN TO R GeoRef, L. MCCARQAR onoooooooooo o I ATTO RN EYS Filed Jan. 20, 1947 G. L. MCCARGAR CENTRIFUGE .V-720 15,614 ,f 1 (253m /9 @4K Haz /7 A 13 o, '6 5l 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 MMM ATTORNEYS \NvENToR Patented Jan. 13, i953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE `CENTRIF-UGE George L. McCargar,` Detroit, Mich.

` Application January 20, 1947, Serial No. 723,097

7 Claims. l

This invention relates to a -centrifugaldrien particularly designed for the substantially continuous handling and drying of leafy `vegetables after they have been washed to remove dust, dirt and the like from the leaves. The apparatus used for washing is the subject matter of an application for patent led of even date herewith Serial No. 723,096, now'Patent No. 2,503,556, `and the invention of this application is directed to the drier or water-removing apparatus to which .the washed leafy vegetables are carried directlyafter their washing and with water adhering thereto.

It is a primary object and purpose of the invention to provide a novel machine in which leafy vegetables, continuously washed and ina wet condition are lrapidly and eiiiciently dried, with a removal of the water therefrom, so `that after dry.- ing they may be conveyed to another or other machines for packaging.

An understanding of the invention may be had from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, 1n which,

Fig. l is a fragmentary elevation of the centrifugal drying machine of `my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view'thereof.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation lfrom a direction at right angles to the elevation shownzin Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a central vertical section, somewhat enlarged, through the upper portion of the machine, on the plane of line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary central vertical section similar to that Vshown in Fig. 4 with the parts in a different'position.

Fig. 6 is a partial vertical section andside elevation looking at the Astructure shown in Fig. 4., substantially on the plane of line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical section substantially .on the plane of Vline 'I-l of Fig. 6, and

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section and plan on the plane of line 8-8 of Fig. 3.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different iigures of the drawings, and the sectional views are taken in the directions indicated by the arrows.

In the structure disclosed, a pluralityof vertical supporting posts I have connected at their upper ends a horizontal ring 2 of channelcrosssection, above which are other spaced vertical posts 3, at their upper ends, a horizontal channel ring 4 being permanently secured. A sheet metal housing having a horizontal bottom 5 located underneath vthe lowerrne 2 and with vertical sides E forming a cylindrical wall extends above the horizontal ring 2. At the upper end of the housing, it is continued and bent inwardly and downwardly to make an annular flange 'I at the top of the housing, surrounding a central opening which is bounded by a short vertical annular flange 8, as shown in Fig. 4. At one side of the housing an opening is provided which is closed by a door 9 hinged a short distance above its lower edge at I 0 on the lower channel ring member 2, and adapted to swing inwardly and outwardly at its upper portion. In its outer position, the ropening in the housing is closed (Fig. 4), the upper edge portions of the door 9 extending immediately within the housing 6. In its inner open position it is tilted inwardly to the position shown in Fig. 5.

A sheet metal cylindrical drum II, open at its upper end with perforated walls, is positioned at its upper end around the previously mentioned flange 8, and has, preferably, three rods I2 radially spaced from each other (Fig. 2), connected at their outer ends to the drum near its upper end. They -extend inwardly and are secured to a collar fixed near the upper end of a vertical shaft I3, which extends downwardly through the drumthrough an inverted channel bar le secured thereto'and at its ends connected to the drum, the shaft lI3 vextending downwardly to `substantially the lowerend of the machine, as shown in Fig. 5. Said .shaft Amay be `made of a plurality of connected parts all in alinement and in effect, the same as though of a single integral structure.

Two generally semi-circular doors I5 of sheet metal are hingedly connected at opposite sides of the bar I4 and provide a bottom for the drum. The shaft I3 extending downwardly below the bottom of the drum has a bearing in a horizontal inverted channel bar I1, extending diametrically across the upper ring member 4 and secured at its ends thereto, and also through a bearing I8 connected with the bottom 5 of the housing.

The drum II, at the outer edges of the doors I5 when they are closed, is equipped with two nat metal bars or straps I9, fastened at the inner side of the drum and extending below its lower edges with openings for the passage of retaining or holding pins 20, mounted for longitudinal movement upon brackets 2| (Fig. '7) which are secured at diametrically opposed points at the outer side of the drum I I and adjacent its lower edges. On each of the brackets 2| a pin actuator 22, of a generally triangular form, as shown in Fig. 7, is pivotally mounted at 23 betweenV its ends, its upper end having a rocking connection with a block on its pin 20, so vthat when an actuating member 22 3 is rocked about its pivot 23 in one direction, its associated pin is moved inwardly to pass underneath the outer edge portions of a door I5, as in Fig. 4. When it is moved outwardly, it disconnects from a door permitting it to fall by gravity, as shown in Figs. 5 and 7. A coiled tension spring 24, connected at one end to each actuating member 22, below its pivot 23, and at its upper end to the associated bracket 2l, serves to hold the pin actuator 22 in either of the two extreme positions to 'which it is movable. In the rocking movements of a pin actuator 22 from one extreme position to the other, the line of force of the spring crosses the pivot axis of its pivot 23. At its lower inner and outer corners, each actuating member 22 below its pivot 23, and at its upper projection 22a, the inner projection being in the path of movement of the upper edge of the door 9 when it is moved from its closed outer position in Fig. 4 to its open inner position in Fig. 5, and the outer projection in the path'of movement of said door when it is moved back to closing position.

A horizontal shaft 25 is mounted for rocking movement within the housing opposite the door 9. On the shaft a pair of spaced bell crank levers are fixed, one arm 26 of each of which extends substantially to the door S and has a roller 21 at its end riding against the inner side of the door. A rod 28 extends across between the free ends of the arms 25, and is located between the inner side of the door and a flat bar 29 (Fig. 4) permanently secured to the door at its lower end and extending upwardly and bent outward so as to be spaced a short distance from the inner side of the door, as shown. Thus when the rock shaft 25 is rocked in a counter-clockwise direction, the door is turned inwardly as in Fig. 5, and when rocked in the opposite direction, is moved to its outer closed position.

` The bell crank levers are each completed by a second arm Si) located at an angle to their associated arms 26, and to the upper ends of each of the arms 3B, a link 3| is pivotally connected at its lower end, said links at their upper ends having pivotal connections to ears extending downwardly from a horizontal bar 32'.l From the under side of the bar 32, straps 33 connected thereto extend inwardly toward the transverse frame bar Il and are hingedly connected thereto` by hinges 34 at their inner ends. Two downwardly and outwardly inclined plates 35, of relatively short length, are fastened tothe frame bar Il' near its ends, against which the plate 9 engages at its upper edge portions when turned to inner position and which also serve a function in ccnnection with the drop doors I5 at the bottom of the drum Il to prevent material from passing around the curved edges of a door downwardly into the housing when the door is dropped to lower position.

A platform 36 for the operator of the machine (Figs. l and 3) is located approximately midway between its upper and lower ends. Through an endless chain 3l around a. sprocket pinion 38, at the outer end of the shaft 25, and a larger sprocket wheel 3?: mounted at one side of the housing of the machine and manu-ally movable by means of a hand lever 4l! connected to the wheel 39, the door 9 may be alternately swung to its inner and outer positions, shaft 25 being.

tric motor 4i (Figs. l and 3), through a belt'42. 75N

Adjacent the lower end of the shaft a brakedrum 43 (Fig. 8) is fixed, having around it a brake band 44, adapted to be tightened by actuating a lever 45 (Fig. l), which is operated by pushing downwardly upon a vertical bar or rod 46 connected at its outer end. The bar 45 extends upwardly through the platform 3e and is equipped with a head 4l to be pressed against by the foot of the operator to brake the speed o movement of the shaft I3 and bring it to rest upon interruption of the electric'current going to the motor 4I. The switch 48 connected by cable 49 with the motor, for starting and stopping the motor, is mounted 'at aside of the housing (i (Fig. l), so that all of the controls of the machine are conveniently located for access by the operator standing on the platform 36.

The leafy vegetables after their washing are ele- 4 vated by a conveyor shown at 5I), and dumped into a receiving receptacle 5I at the upper end and at one side of the housing, from which they are movable into the rotating perforated drum II. At a side or" the machine in operative lower position with respect to the door 9 and the opening which it closes, a hopper 52 is provided to receive the dried leafy vegetables passing by gravity (Fig. 5) over a dropped door I5 and the inwardly turned door vSi to the hopper, from which they pass to a conveyor 53 which carries them to a packaging machine. The water whi-ch is removed through centrifugal action from the vegetables and passes outwardly through the perforations in the Walls of the drum I I,is collected above the bottom 5 of the housing and through an outlet opening (Fig. 4) is carried away by a trough 54 (Fig. 1).

In the operation with the parts positioned as in Fig. 4 and with the motor 4I at rest, the drum il may be lled with the leafy vegetables and then the motor started. In such position the bottom doors I5 are both latched in their upper closed positions and the vegetables are held from dropping downwardly.

The motor then being started by operating theswitch 48,`the vegetables are dried through centrifugal action causing the water to be thrown outwardly radially and through the perforations in the`walls of the drum Il.l VAfter the required time of' operation Vfor such centrifugal drying,n

Athe'switch at 48 is operated to interrupt the current flowing to the motor 4I and the brake is applied to .bring the centrifugal drum to a complete stop. After it is stopped, if it is not in the proper position, the operator of the machine may grasp the rods I2 and turn it to position, said 'rods I2 being so located and one of them given a distinctive color that, as shown in Fig. 2, when moved until it is opposite the operator who stands at the right on the platform in Fig. 2, the drum il will be properly located for releasing a door I5. Thereupon the operator grasps the' the spring 24 as previously described. The arms' 30 of the bell crank levers turning in a counterclockwise movement, will pass from the position shown in Fig. 4', through the 'position shown in dash lines inF'ig. f5, to the final positicnrshown in the same figure. During .such movement, or at the intermediate position illustratedfin dash lines in Fig. 5, the bar 32 comes underneath the bottom of the door I .of .the drum II directly above it, lifting it off of its pin 20, which is thus freed for unlatching without any retarding force :because of friction. Thereafter, thefurther continued counter-clockwise movement of the arms 30 moves the bar 32 to its nal position in Fig. 5, the unlatched door I5 following it `and overlapping, at its lower free edge portions, :the upper edge portions of the door 9. The dried leafy vegetables by gravity pass through the opening left at the lower end of the drum II by such dropping or lowering of the door I5, and slide down it and the door 9 into the hopper 52.

The operator thereupon .reverses the .previous movement given to the handle 40, swinging vthe door 9 to closed position, and during such movement, as shown in Fig. 5, turning the pin actuator 22 by engagement of the door against the outer lower corner projection 22a, to move the pin 20 back to holding position, this after the door has been elevated at its outer edges to and above the pin, in the dash line position of bar 32 as shown in Fig. 5. The drum is then turned manually ythrough 180 degrees to bring the other door I5 into the position which had been occupied by the first one, the release and return of which has been described, and the operation is repeated to dump the leafy vegetables from the other side of the drum. After this has .been done and said other bottom door I5 returned and latched in its upper position, the cycle is again repeated, with a filling of the drum with the washed vegetables, the rotation of the drum for drying, its stopping, a manual movement to proper position, releasing one of the bottom doors and its return to its latched position, a manual turning of the drum through 180 degrees, and a release and return to latched position of the other bottom door I5.

The construction is very practical and useful and has proved exceptionally satisfactory in service.

The invention is dened in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

l. In a structure of the class described, a drum open at its upper end having perforated vertical side walls, means for closing the lower end of the drum including a hingedly mounted door, means for rotating the drum about a vertical axis, latching means for holding the door in upper position, a housing around the drum having an opening in the side thereof below the drum, a plate closing said opening hingedly mounted at its lower portion for swinging inward -to a downwardly and outwardly inclined position and back to closing position, means operated by the plate for actuating said latching means to move it to released position when said plate is swung 1nwardly and return it `to latching position when the plate is swung to closed position, and manually operable means for swinging said plate from one position to the other, and including a member engageable with the drum closure door and acting to support the door in an elevated position when the latching means therefor is released and the plate is in mid-position.

2. In a, structure as described, a vertical shaft, means to drive the shaft, a cylindrical drum having perforated vertical side walls around the upper portion .ofthe shaft and connected'thercto; two fdiametrica'lly opposed :doors hingedly mounted adjacent their ends at .the lower Aend of the drum, ka .bar connected tosaid shaft at opposite 'sides of which the ,doors are hingedly mounted, Atwo pins mounted at diametrically opposed positions. :at .the lower end'of the `drum for inward'xand outward slidable horizontal movements, said pins .extending under Vthe doors .at inner positions and beyond ltheir outer edges at outer positions, a movably mountedactuater :for each pin, a housing Vsurroundingsaid and spaced outwardly therefrom and extending below the .lower end thereof, said housing .having an opening at a side thereof, a vertical closure y:plate for said opening, means hingedly mounting said plate'toturn abouta horizontal axis at its vlower portionandmanually operable means connected with the plate for .moving it inwardly and outwardly, said pin actuating means being located in the path of movement of the upper edge of the plate to be turned thereby to withdraw a pin when the plate is moved inwardly and to return said pin to holding position when the plate is moved outwardly, a door at the bottom of the drum being released on such outward withdrawal of its holding pin and dropping to a downwardly and outwardly inclined position in which the door at its lower edges overlaps said plate at its upper edges, each of said doors at the lower end of the drum being releasable upon turning the drum to locate the selected door in a predetermined position with reference to said hinged closure plate.

3. A construction as defined in claim 2, and means connected with and operated by said manually operable means and operated thereby to engage against the under side of a door, the holding pin of which is about to be withdrawn, to slightly elevate the door above said pin during its withdrawal.

4. In a structure of the class described, a support, a housing open at its upper end around the upper portion of said support, a vertical shaft rotatably mounted on the support, a cylindrical drum open at its upper end having perforated vertical walls connected with said shaft and located in the housing near the upper end thereof, an electric motor driving the shaft, two semi-circular doors at the lower end of the drum, a horizontal bar connected with said shaft on opposite sides of which the doors are hingedly mounted, movable holding means, one for each door, mounted on the drum adjacent the outer edges of the doors. a horizontal platform located adjacent the housing below the plane of the lower end of the drum, switch means on the housing above the platform for controlling the starting and stopping of said motor, means mounted below the platform for releasing the door by actuation of its movable holding means when said door is in a predetermined position with respect to the housing, whereby the door may fall by gravity to a downwardly and outwardly inclined position, and manually operable means located above the platform movable in opposite directions and having connection with said door releasing and lowering means, movement in one direction thereof releasing and lowering the door, and in the opposite direction elevating said door and moving its holding means back to holding position with the door in its horizontal position.

5. In a structure of the class described, a drum open at its upper end and having perforated 7: verticaly side walls, means for closing the lower end of the drum including a hinge'dly-mounted door, means for rotating the drum about a vertical aXis, latching means for holding the door in upper closed position. a housing around the drum having an opening in a side thereof below the drum, a plate closing the opening, said plate being movably mounted to move from closing position to a. downwardly and outwardly inclined position below the drum and door thereon, in which inclined position the door overlaps the upper edge of the plate, manual means for unlatching said latching means and manual means '1. The elements of claim 6 in which said manual means for moving the plate also acts to close said door on movement of the plate to closing position.

e GEORGE L. MCCARGAR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,534,278 Lumpp Apr. 21, 1925 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 15,744 Great Britain July 12, 1906 28,062 Great Britain Dec. 10, 1906 "239,168 Germany Oct. 10, 1911 

